Derbyshire v Glamorgan day 4

Last night I suggested that a win today might ignite Derbyshire's promotion aspirations while cautioning that Glamorgan might fancy any chase under 320. After all, we had scored the best part of 400 runs yesterday, so the wicket was far from an elysian fields for bowlers.

I'm delighted to say that I was wrong as Derbyshire, for the second time in as many games, thrashed a pretty decent side and in doing so put themselves very much back in the promotion reckoning. Again, having said last night that we have fielded better attacks this season, I am delighted to say that I was wrong. On paper that may well have been the case, but on the pitch, where it matters, the attack rose to the occasion and the visitors never looked like getting the runs. Especially when Tony Palladino (pictured), en route to another five-wicket haul, removed their talismanic skipper Alviro Petersen for a duck.

The former Essex seamer now has 34 Championship wickets at 22 each and has proved an inspired signing by John Morris. What has impressed me when I have seen him is that he bowls a full, wicket-taking length that always gives him a chance. Occasionally, when a batsman is going for it, such a length can cost a few runs, but Palladino has done remarkably well and thoroughly justified his move 'oop north.'

Conversely, Mark Turner has had his struggles since moving from Somerset and has had a few disparaging comments go his way via message boards. He has struggled for rhythm, but ironically it was when he quickly removed both Mark Wallace and James Harris that I knew we would win. Both are capable of batting for a long time, and with the wicket's reputation for flattening out after the seam has done the same on the ball, I didn't expect the win, if we got it, to be anywhere near so emphatic. Turner apparently bowled with good pace and took key wickets to go with his valuable first innings runs. He can be proud of his efforts in this game and I hope that it is the start of the good times for an amiable lad.

The wickets were shared around and Jon Clare took another two, giving him 24 for the season at 29 each. With 343 runs at the same average he is on course for the mini-double of 500 runs and 50 wickets and his return to full fitness has been one of the plus factors of the season. Having said that, such things are not especially hard to find right now.

Clare's first innings century turned the tide of a game going against us, though the initial work was done by the admirable Dan Redfern. now the leading scorer in the Championship with 659 runs at an average of 39. The young left-hander is surely going to score his first century this season and is on course for a thousand runs at his present rate of progress. He has long looked a player of talent, but his technique looks more secure and he will have a major part to play in our future. Similarly Chesney Hughes also passed 600 runs in this match. While he has not always looked as secure as he did at times last season, Hughes has done very well in his second year. At times he can look a little leaden footed against spin, especially when he has to force them as was the case in the T20, but his promise is evident and at 20 he is a real talent.

Then of course there's Ross Whiteley, who regular readers will know I have been praising for a good part of the last couple of seasons. At the moment his batting is more a series of delightful cameos, as evidenced in the T20 and again today, but here is another locally-produced lad who could be an asset for years. I was also pleased to see him get the final wicket today. His bowling needs a little more work and he has a tendency to drop one onto leg stump each over, but Whiteley has the potential to be an all-rounder for Derbyshire and make the number six berth his own in the long term.

It was stirring stuff, a fine team effort, well handled by the skipper. When you think that this win came about without a major contribution from Messrs Guptill, Madsen, Durston and Smith, it helps to reinforce somewhat forcibly the point that the chairman made with the blueprint for the future. There are good lads outside this side - Borrington, now a record-breaker in the Premier League; Poynton, a forcing batsman and ever-improving wicket-keeper; Knight, a left arm spinner of remarkable potential; Burgoyne, an all-rounder; Slater, a solid batsman and Sheikh, whose best is yet to come as a left-arm bowler of slippery pace. All that and I've not mentioned Jake Needham, who I still think will come again next summer.

Add into the mix that we had three youngsters in the Midlands Under-15 side for the Bunbury Festival and you see what remarkable work is going on in the academy and Second XI. I'm hoping that the weather holds as I hope to make it to Leek next Monday to see the Seconds on a flying visit down south. Sadly no first team games for me, but I look forward immensely to seeing some of the young tyros who will play a part in an exciting future.

The club site today highlights another good performance from them against Warwickshire, with Borrington and Matt Lineker adding 168 for the first wicket, Lineker making 125 and Borrington 66. While the prolific Lineker has had his struggles this summer, it is good to see him scoring with increasing regularity as it has progressed. With runs from Poynton and Needham, there was still time for Ally Evans to reduce Warwickshire to 30-3 in reply to 349-6. Evans, from the Carlton Cricket Club in Edinburgh via Loughborough University, has some impressive performances to his portfolio this summer and could be one to watch. Certainly, while occasionally erratic he takes wickets, not the worst of habits for a young bowler..

As I close, I note that there are six points between us in fifth place and Middlesex in second. There is absolutely no reason why we couldn't be the team making the late charge. Successive wins tells you we're a team growing in form and confidence.

The others will be noting that, bet your bottom dollar.

Come on the 'shire!